Browsing by Author "Kang, M"

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    Effect of carbon nanotube functionalization on the structure and properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/MWCNTs biocomposites
    (Springer Link, 2014-07) Huh, M; Jung, MH; Park, YS; Kim, BJ; Kang, M; Holden, PJ; Yun, SI
    Multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) covalently functionalized with an alkyl chain exhibited a better dispersion in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) solutions and cast films as compared with acid-treated MWCNTs (MWCNT-COOH) due to the much improved solubility in chloroform. The alkylated MWCNTs more effectively strengthened PHB composites than non-alkylated MWCNTs due to their uniform dispersion as well as stronger interaction of alkylated MWCNTs with the PHB matrix. Both acid-treated and alkylated MWCNTs added to PHB matrix facilitated crystallization kinetics. However the crystallization kinetics were found to be slower for the alkylated MWCNTs/PHB composites than acid-treated MWCNTs composites. The results may be ascribed to the inhibitory effect on PHB crystallization caused by the steric hindrance of the long alkyl chains attached to MWCNTs. © The Polymer Society of Korea and Springer Sciene+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.